The United Kingdom has declared that it will not interfere in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections and has no preferred political party in the country’s political process.
Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, made the clarification during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
Lever stressed that the UK’s interest lies solely in supporting a peaceful, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria.
“Downing Street has no favourite political party and will not be seen interfering in local political matters,” she said.
“The British government are entirely neutral. We do not favour one party or another, and we would never be in the business of telling Nigerian people how to vote,” the envoy added.
She noted that peaceful elections remain critical not only for democracy but also for economic stability and investor confidence.
During her three-day visit to Kwara State, Lever commended Governor Abdulrazaq for promoting gender inclusion in governance, pointing out that women make up more than half of his cabinet members.
The envoy also inspected several UK-backed initiatives in the state, including the Ilorin Innovation Hub and a digital community centre in Ifelodun. According to her, the projects are designed to equip more than 50,000 residents with digital and technology skills, enabling young Nigerians to compete for global job opportunities.
Speaking during the visit, Governor Abdulrazaq highlighted key achievements of his administration since assuming office in 2019, particularly in education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
He disclosed that the state government plans to increase the minimum wage to ₦100,000 later this year, while also expanding healthcare infrastructure to tackle manpower shortages.
According to the governor, Kwara State is projected to have five teaching hospitals by 2027.
Abdulrazaq further referenced ongoing agricultural reforms in the state, including the establishment of a large Shea processing factory in Kaiama aimed at boosting local production and economic growth.
